


Christmas Magic

by bansheequeen (queenbanshee), xtremeroswellian



Category: Smallville
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Ollie didn't see this coming, Surprises, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24247030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenbanshee/pseuds/bansheequeen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xtremeroswellian/pseuds/xtremeroswellian
Summary: AU Season 10. Oliver gets a little surprise on Christmas Eve, thanks to Zatanna's magic.
Relationships: Oliver Queen/Chloe Sullivan
Kudos: 6





	Christmas Magic

Matthew closed his eyes tightly and when he opened them again, he was a little dizzy. He stood very still as he looked around, his eyes widening when he saw his dad. His back was to him and he was standing on the balcony. He looked like he had a glass in his hand and Matthew made a face. Slowly, he started toward him but stopped a couple of feet from the door. Aunt Mia had warned him not to sneak up on his dad if he looked like he was in a Green Arrow mood, it could be dangerous. So he kept his distance then took a deep breath and said, “Dad?” 

Oliver jumped at the voice that came from behind him, nearly dropping his glass of scotch and turning to see who had spoken. He was more than a little shocked to see a kid--probably about nine or ten years old--standing there with a worried look. “What--how did you...how did you get in here?” How had his security system not gone off?

“I think the right answer is that I time traveled,” he answered, squinting a little. 

He blinked a couple of times at that, not moving any closer. “Time traveled,” he echoed. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the concept, but he didn’t know how the kid had managed to get a hold of one of the legion rings.

“You know how it works,” Matthew said, stepping closer to him and making at the glass in his hand. “That smells bad.”

Oliver eyed the kid, wondering if he was already drunk. “Who _are_ you?” 

“I’m your son.” He grinned, arching his eyebrows. “Matthew.”

He was very glad he didn’t have a mouthful of scotch because he probably would have spit it out. “You wanna repeat that for me?” 

“You, Oliver Jonas Queen, are my dad,” he said slowly, watching him. “I know it sounds weird, but you know uncle Clark and he is way weirder than this.”

Oliver rubbed a hand over his face. “Is this like a Ghost of Christmas Future kind of thing? Because I haven’t even had that much to drink.” 

Matthew frowned at him and held out his arm. “You can see if I’m a ghost if you want to.”

“I don’t have a kid.” 

“Not yet!” Matthew said, “I think this is... two years or more before I’m even born.”

He blinked a couple of times, shaking his head. “No, this doesn’t even make any sense.” 

“But it’s _true_ , Dad,” he said with a pout. “Why does it not make sense? Because you don’t think you’ll ever find Mom again?”

Oliver narrowed his eyes at that. “Mom?” he echoed, cocking his head. Surely this kid wasn’t implying that Chloe was his mother. Chloe was gone, and it was pretty clear she wasn’t coming back.

“Mom,” he echoed. “Chloe Anne Sullivan-Queen,” Matthew said slowly once more, he figured saying their full names would help his dad know he was telling the truth. 

He stared at the boy, then slowly leaned back against the railing on the balcony. The kid _did_ look like him. There was no denying that. And his eyes were the exact shade of green that Chloe’s were...

Matthew frowned at that and stepped forward hesitantly. “I don’t think you should be on the balcony. Mom says you were pretty sad when she was gone. And even you agree that these were the worst months of your life.”

“I’m not going to jump, Kid,” Oliver told him, arching his eyebrows.

“I don’t want you to fall, either,” he told his dad, shrugging a little.

“Like I said, I haven’t had _that_ much to drink.” But he moved away from the railing anyway. “What’s your name?” 

“I told you, Matthew.” He said, smiling a little. “Do you believe me now?”

He raked a hand through his hair. “Maybe,” he said, blowing out a breath. “How old are you?”

“I just turned ten,” he said brightly and smiled at his dad. “You got me an awesome archery set so we can practice together!”

He couldn’t help but smile faintly at that. He set his drink down on the small table and then moved toward the sliding glass door. “Okay, let’s...go inside.” And try to figure out what was going on.

“You don’t have to figure out how to get me back if that’s what you’re worried about,” Matthew told him with a smirk.

“I don’t?” There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice. “Do you know how to work that ring? Where is it, anyway?” 

“There isn’t a ring, it was a wish I made in front of Aunt Zee. She did some girly Cinderella thing though and I will get pulled back at midnight. Well, midnight there,” he told him with a roll of his eyes.

Oliver’s eyes widened once more. “ _Zatanna_ sent you here?” Before he could wrap his mind around that, he shook his head. “Wait, why did you wish to come here? Now?” 

“Because it’s Christmas and you were really sad, so I’m here to take you to Mom,” he said, smiling as he added the last part. 

He held his breath for a moment. “You know where Chloe is?” 

“She told me.” Matthew grinned a little. “And I know she misses you and wishes you were there too, so, you should be.”

Oliver studied him, shaking his head. “It might not be safe,” he said quietly.

Matthew rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “Which one of us is from the future?”

He gave Matthew a look. “And you realize that changing anything affects the future, right?” 

“It won’t.” He grinned. “Aunt Zee said she was going to make sure of it, she just didn’t tell me how.”

Oliver stared at him for a moment. If anyone could make that kind of promise and actually pull it off, it was Zatanna. “All right. I’ll bite. Where is she?” 

“She’s in Grandville, and luckily we’re in Metropolis and not in Star City, so we just have to drive,” he said brightly. 

He couldn’t help but smile at the kid’s enthusiasm. “You know where in Grandville?” he asked, moving toward the door to grab his coat and car keys.

“Kind of, you can see if from the road,” Matthew said confidently. 

He drew in a breath, nodding. “Then what are we waiting for?” 

* * * 

It was nearly two hours later when Matthew told him to pull over. He obeyed, parking the car on the side of the road and looking at the various buildings that were around. It didn’t escape him that they were only a couple of blocks from Belle Reeve, which was unsettling to say the least. “She’s here?” There was a hint of worry in his tone.

“Yeah.” He nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt then looking at his dad. “C’mon, I don’t know how much longer it will be before the spell ends.”

He drew in a breath, chest feeling tight. “Right, let’s go.” 

Once they were out of the car, Matthew paused at the look on his dad’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Oliver said quickly. “Just stay close, okay?” He looked around nervously. This wasn’t exactly a great part of the city, and he wasn’t nearly as familiar with it as he was with Metropolis and Star City.

He nodded a little and looked around the area for a moment, pausing when he saw what looked like a warehouse. “I think it’s over there!”

“She’s staying in a warehouse?” he asked, confused.

Matthew nodded a little and whispered, “That’s where she’s hiding.”

Oliver looked at him, hesitantly reaching out for his hand. 

He tugged on his hand and started toward the warehouse. “I think she said she was on the bottom floor, like, underground.”

His eyebrows furrowed, but he followed his ‘son’ wordlessly, holding his breath.

As they got closer, Matthew held his hand up to his lips then pointed at a small door.

Oliver pursed his lips, arching his eyebrows. “Should we knock, or...?” he whispered.

“I don’t know if there are people here or not,” he whispered, pursing his lips together. “I think it’s better if we don’t.” 

He drew in another breath, nodding as they approached the door and reaching out to try the handle. Sure enough, it was unlocked. He glanced at Matthew, arching his eyebrows, and then pushing the door open.

Matthew grinned brightly at him and nodded as they walked inside. He looked around for a moment then pointed to the stairs leading underground in a corner of the room.

Oliver glanced around, making sure there was no one there, and that there were no cameras. Frankly he was surprised there weren’t. 

“She’s down there,” Matthew whispered, tugging harder on his hand to make him hurry.

“What if she isn’t alone?” he whispered back, shaking his head.

“She _is_ ,” he said confidently. 

Oliver chewed the inside of his cheek, heading down the staircase with the younger boy right behind him. He couldn’t let the kid just walk into some situation where he had no idea what to expect.

They walked down a darkened hallway and Matthew told Oliver to go until the end of it. There, they found another staircase and Matthew brightened. “She’s downstairs, I know it.”

“The question is...how _far_ downstairs?” he mumbled, heart beating quickly in his chest.

“The next floor!” he told him. “Hurry, Dad.” 

Oliver quickened his pace, opening the door at the bottom of the stairs and stepping inside without hesitation, staring at Chloe as she sat a few feet away from him.

Chloe stood up and reached for her gun instantly, but she didn’t even point it at them because she recognized Oliver as soon as her eyes fell on his face. Her eyes wide. 

“I told you!” Matthew said excitedly and let go of his dad’s hand to close the door.

He swallowed hard as he laid eyes on her for the first time in months. “You’re really here,” he whispered.

“What are _you_ doing here?” she asked even as she took a few steps toward him, barely noticing the child.

Oliver held his breath. “Looking for _you_.” 

“How did you find me?” she asked, her heart beating fast as she walked up to him. 

“Matthew knew where you were.” He turned to look behind him.

“Hi Mom,” Matthew said with a grin as he waved at her. 

Chloe blinked several times as she looked at the little boy then back at Oliver, her eyes wide.

“He uh--he time traveled apparently. Thanks to a wish from Zatanna.” He arched his eyebrows.

“Time traveled from where?” she asked, looking down at Matthew. “And what for?” 

“Well, it was my birthday and Aunt Zee offered me a wish, you and dad always talk about how sad you both were the one Christmas you didn’t spend together, and since Christmas is so important, I asked to come here and bring the two of you together.”

“And Zee promised that somehow it wouldn’t change the outcome of things,” Oliver added, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

“You’re _our son_?” she asked quietly, now focusing more on the little boy. There was no denying he looked like Oliver. 

“Yeah,” he told her with a smile, stepping forward. “I probably don’t have much time left because aunt Zee said I only had until midnight.” He rolled his eyes and shrugged. “But I guess at least you’re already together.”

“Look at his eyes,” Oliver whispered.

She glanced at Oliver then looked down at the little boy’s eyes, her stomach tightening and she nodded slightly. They were the same color as hers. 

Matthew smiled and reached for Oliver’s hand once more then reached for Chloe’s and pulled them closer together even as he stood in the middle.

He swallowed hard, gazing at her even as he held Matthew’s hand tightly in his own. 

With a smile at both of them, Matthew let go of their hands and wrapped an arm around each. “Now you won’t ever have a bad Christmas since the day you got together,” he told them. 

Chloe held her breath, placing a hand over the boy’s back and wrapping her other arm around Oliver as the boy pulled them closer together, her eyes tearing up a little. She had definitely not seen this when she put on the mask.

Oliver hugged them both, as well, pressing a kiss to her temple and burying his face against her hair. “I love you,” he whispered.

Her face crumpled as her eyes teared up and her arm tightened around Oliver. “I love you,” she whispered back to him then glanced down at the little boy. “Thank you.” 

Matthew smiled brightly at that and nodded at his mom, hugging both of them tightly too.

Oliver looked down at him, meeting his eyes. “Thank you,” he whispered, nodding.

“Merry Christmas,” Matthew told both of them, and just as he said it, he started fading slowly. He frowned a little and looked down at himself. “I guess it’s midnight.”

He held his breath. “See you in a few years,” he murmured as the boy faded away. At least he hoped so.

Chloe stared, her eyes widening as her hand that had been on his back fell to her side. “Is he gonna be okay?” She asked, turning to look at Oliver. 

“Yeah. I mean, Zee wouldn’t have put him in danger.” Oliver looked back at her.

She nodded a little, taking a deep breath as she reached to cup Oliver’s face with her now free hand. “Was he _really_ our son?”

“There’s no way he _wasn’t_ ,” he said quietly. He leaned into her touch, searching her eyes. 

Chloe nodded once more, brushing her thumb over his face. “And you’re really here.”

“So are you.” He lifted a hand to her cheek, as well.

“Ollie,” she whispered to him. “I’m so sorry I haven’t been there.”

His chest tightened painfully. “I know. But...you’ve had your reasons.” 

“I had to keep you safe,” she told him quietly, brushing her fingers over his cheek.

Oliver leaned his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes. “I’ve missed you so much, Chloe.” 

“I’ve missed you too, Ollie.” She brushed her nose against his. “I wanted to reach out for you, I know how hard it’s been...”

He let out a breath, wrapping his arms around her tightly and falling silent.

Chloe hugged him to her too and brushed her lips against his softly, rubbing a hand over his back.

“Have you been here the whole time?” 

“Yeah,” she whispered, holding her breath as she pulled away, suddenly wondering if he was angry at her. Not that she could blame him if he was.

He nodded silently, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I know you said not to look for you, but...” 

She took a deep breath and nodded slightly. “I know, I tried to leave you as many clues as I could, to let you know I wasn’t gone, that this was my plan but...”

Oliver pursed his lips. “But you were eventually going to come back.” It wasn’t a question. If Matthew, after all, was their child, obviously she’d come back at some point.

“I always planned on it,” she whispered, looking down and sighing softly. “But something big is going to happen, something with the whole team and I _can’t_ be there. Not until it’s over..”

He nodded slightly, looking away at that. “Right,” he said quietly.

Chloe closed her eyes and sighed softly, reluctantly dropping her hands from him and looking down. “I never wanted to hurt you.”

“I know, Chloe.” He looked at her once more. “You’re just doing what you have to do. I get it.” 

“But it still hurts,” it wasn’t a question. She didn’t need to ask him that when she knew how much it hurt being away from him. She could only imagine how much worse it was for him, not knowing anything.

“I hate it,” he said honestly. “But I get it.” 

She nodded slightly and pursed her lips together. “We don’t know what this spell will do, or how Zatanna will make sure it doesn’t change anything in the future.” She reached for his hand hesitantly. “But we are here, now.”

Oliver took her hand without hesitation, sliding his fingers through hers. “So let’s not waste it,” he said softly.

Her eyes teared up but she smiled softly, relaxing a little and nodding. “And we know we will be okay, eventually.”

He leaned his forehead against hers, nodding, too. “I love you. Merry Christmas,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” she murmured, lifting her head to look at him as she let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him once more. “Merry Christmas, Ollie.”


End file.
